Characters

The main character in the short story “The Fly-Paper” by Elizabeth Taylor is Sylvia Wilkinson, an 11-year-old girl. The other characters are the man and the woman she meets on the bus, Herbert and Mabel, who are revealed at the end to be a couple working together. Their interaction with Sylvia is the main focus of the story.

Miss Harrison, Sylvia’s music teacher, and Sylvia’s grandmother are also mentioned. The author also presents their relationship with Sylvia briefly, to further highlight Sylvia’s main trait, which is her docility. The conductor from the bus also appears very briefly. All the interactions between Sylvia and the other characters are seen through Sylvia’s eyes.

You can read a more detailed analysis of Sylvia and Herbert and Mabel in the following pages.